Australia’s best tennis players, from young prospects to experienced competitors, will be recognised at the upcoming Australian Tennis Awards on Monday 8 December.
The following award categories acknowledge Australia’s success in various tennis tournaments throughout 2025 across all ages and abilities.
Here are the finalists for Male Junior Athlete of the Year, Female Junior Athlete of the Year, Most Outstanding 35+ Tennis Master, and Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability.
Male Junior Athlete of the Year
Cruz Hewitt (NSW): Hewitt has taken his game to the next level in 2025. The 16-year-old competed at all four junior Grand Slams this season, advancing to the second round at the Australian Open. This is Hewitt’s second straight nomination for this award.
Novak Palombo (Vic): The youngest nominee in the award’s history, Palombo’s career is progressing rapidly. In 2025, the 13-year-old won the 14/u boys’ singles event at the De Minaur Junior Tour Finals in Sydney, guided Victoria to the 13/u boys’ Australian Teams Championships on the Gold Coast and competed at the 14/u Wimbledon Invitational.
| Australian Tennis Awards Honour Roll Male Junior Athlete of the Year | |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Hayden Jones (Qld) |
| 2023 | Charlie Camus (ACT) |
| 2022 | Edward Winter (SA) |
| 2021 | Philip Sekulic (Qld) |
| 2020 | Not presented |
| 2019 | Rinky Hijikata (NSW) |
| 2018 | Rinky Hijikata (NSW) |
| 2017 | Alex de Minaur (NSW) |
| 2016 | Alex de Minaur (NSW) |
| 2015 | Omar Jasika (Vic) |
| 2014 | Thanasi Kokkinakis (SA) |
| 2013 | Nick Kyrgios (ACT) |
| 2012 | Luke Saville (SA) |
| 2011 | Luke Saville (SA) |
| 2010 | Bernard Tomic (Qld) |
Female Junior Athlete of the Year
Renee Alame (NSW): Her second straight nomination for the award, Alame reached a career-high junior ranking of world No.44 in December. The teenager won singles matches at the Australian Open and US Open this year, with the latter occurring on her overseas junior Grand Slam singles debut. Alame led Australia to a ninth-place finish at the Junior Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
Ava Beck (Vic): Once again a finalist, the Victorian made her ITF girls’ top-100 debut in 2025, following success in Australia and around the world. Beck won four titles in 2025 across singles and doubles and also made her junior Grand Slam debut at Melbourne Park.
Emerson Jones (Qld): The 17-year-old has progressed in leaps and bounds this season. The No.1 seed at all three junior Grand Slams she participated in, Jones reached two semifinals and a quarterfinal. Towards the end of the season, the Queenslander claimed two ITF titles and secured an AO 2026 wildcard, as part of the Australian Pro Tour.
| Australian Tennis Awards Honour Roll Female Junior Athlete of the Year | |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Maya Joint (Qld), Emerson Jones (Qld) |
| 2023 | Taylah Preston (WA), Emerson Jones (Qld) |
| 2022 | Taylah Preston (WA), Talia Gibson (WA) |
| 2021 | Taylah Preston (WA) |
| 2020 | Not presented |
| 2019 | Talia Gibson (WA) |
| 2018 | Destanee Aiava (Vic) |
| 2017 | Destanee Aiava (Vic) |
| 2016 | Kimberly Birrell (Qld) |
| 2015 | Kimberly Birrell (Qld) |
| 2014 | Destanee Aiava (Vic) |
| 2013 | Ash Barty (Qld) |
| 2012 | Ash Barty (Qld) |
| 2011 | Ash Barty (Qld) |
| 2010 | Ash Barty (Qld) |
Most Outstanding 35+ Tennis Master
Ros Balodis (ACT): The top-ranked 65+ mixed doubles player, Balodis had a near-perfect win-loss record in 2025. Balodis lost just one of her 38 matches across singles, doubles and mixed doubles this year, excelling at national, continental and international level. Most notably, Balodis captained Australia to gold in the women’s 65+ sector at the Masters World Individual Championships.
Glenn Busby (Vic): A three-time winner of this award, Busby aims to claim back-to-back honours and his fourth win overall on Monday night. The No.1-ranked player in the ITF 65+ singles category, Busby won gold at the 2025 ITF Masters World Individual Championships in the USA in May.
Stephen Dance (Tas): The world No.1 player in the 70+ doubles category, Dance was captain of the Australian Masters team, which won World Championship gold in May. Dance won gold in the mixed doubles, silver in the men’s doubles, and bronze in the singles events.
| Australian Tennis Awards Honour Roll Most Outstanding 30+ Tennis Master | |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Glenn Busby (Vic) |
| 2023 | Brandon Lee Moore (NSW) |
| 2022 | Jarrod Broadbent (Vic) |
| 2021 | Glenn Busby (Vic), Sue Willis (ACT) |
| 2020 | Not presented |
| 2019 | Pat Moloney (ACT) |
| 2018 | Peter Froelich (Qld) |
| 2017 | Ros Balodis (ACT) |
| 2016 | Leanne Swaysland (NSW) |
| 2015 | Bob Howes (Vic) |
| 2014 | Ros Balodis (ACT) |
| 2013 | Ros Balodis (ACT) |
| 2012 | Andrew Rae (Vic) |
| 2011 | Glenn Busby (Vic) |
| 2010 | Andrew Rae (Vic) |
Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability
Ross Patterson (Tas): The current world No.1 in men’s B4 singles and B2 – B4 doubles, Patterson had one of his career-best seasons, winning the IBTA World Championships in each of those fields. The Tasmanian had a combined record of 41-0 in 2025, continuing his unbeaten singles record over the past five years.
Andriana Petrakis (SA): The South Australian was one of the star performers at the Virtus World Tennis Championships in Kazakhstan in May, clinching two silver medals in the PWII-1 category. She is the No.5-ranked player in the PWII-1 women’s singles, second in the Australian rankings behind Kelly Wren.
Hunter Thompson (Qld): Ranked world No.1 in PWII-3 men’s singles and doubles, Thompson became the first player to win three consecutive singles gold medals at the Virtus World Tennis Championships, when he emerged victorious in May. He also won gold in the doubles alongside close friend Hayden Ballard.
Jin Woodman (Vic): Australia’s highest-ranked player in boys’ and quad wheelchair singles, Woodman won 30 of his 41 singles matches in 2025. The quad world No.7 advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals after a tight three-set victory over compatriot Heath Davidson. The 16-year-old also competed at the ITF Wheelchair Masters in Huzhou, China.
| Australian Tennis Awards Honour Roll Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability | |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Ross Patterson (Tas) |
| 2023 | Archie Graham (Qld) |
| 2022 | Heath Davidson (Vic) |
| 2021 | Ben Weekes (NSW) |
| 2020 | Not presented |
| 2019 | Dylan Alcott (Vic) |
| 2018 | Archie Graham (Qld) |
| 2017 | Archie Graham (Qld) |
| 2016 | Heath Davidson (Vic), Dylan Alcott (Vic) |
| 2015 | Dylan Alcott (Vic) |
| 2014 | Adam Kellerman (NSW) |
| 2013 | Ben Weekes (NSW) |
| 2012 | Glen Flindell (Vic) |
| 2011 | Kelly Wren (NSW) |
| 2010 | Daniela Di Toro (Vic) |
The Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards will be held on Monday 8 December at Melbourne's Palladium Ballroom.
Follow along on Tennis Australia's social channels as the evening unfolds using the hashtag #Newks25.
Find out more about the awards, including award categories and previous recipients.